Ditching-machine



(No- Model.)

B. H. LANCASTER.

DITGH ING MAOHINE.

No. 280,631. Patented July 3, 1883.

Tlfifnedaes Y A W N. PETERS. Phmu-Lnho u nm. Wash-"gum. 01C.

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U ITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS LANCASTER, OF MONTPELIER, INDIANA.

DITCHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,631, dated July 3, 1883.

\ Application filed November 1882. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern .Be it known that I, ELIAS H. LANCASTER, of Montpelier, in the county of Blackford, and in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DitchingMachines and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

' This invention relates to certain improvements in ditching-machines; and it has for its object to provide improved means for elevating the ditching-plow and for working the elevating-belt'in connection therewith, as more fully hereinafter specified. These objects I accomplish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a top view of my improved ditching-machine; Fig. 2, alongitudinal sectional view, showing parts of the machine in elevation. Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical sectional view of the elevator, taken on the line x x of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detached sectional view, showing the upper elevating-roller of the elevator; Fig. 5, a detached View, showing the means of securing the roller over which one end of the discharge belt passes; Fig. 6 represents a'detailed perspective view of a portion of the elevator-frame and one of the adjustable plates, and Fig. 7 a side elevation of a portion of the frame and the ole vating-roller.

The letter A indicates the frame of the machine, which is mounted upon the axles B through the medium of the bars A, to which the said frame is attached, (by bolts or otherwise,) and which are provided with journal- The axles B are mounted upon suitable supporting-wheels, G.

The letter A designates metallic bars, the rear ends of which are connected together by transverse bars Bflby which a support is formed for one end of the shaft A for one of the eX- tended ends of the sprocket-wheel shaft, and for one of the brackets which support one of the rollers of the transverse belts, (these several parts to be hereinafter mentioned.) The forward ends of these bars are constructed to a brace, E, by means of which it is securely heldin position. Two of these hangers are employed, one at each side of the machine, and to them are fulcrumedthelevers F, which carry at their front ends a roller, G, grooved on its periphery, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Over said roller passes a chain, H, one end of which is secured to the front clevis of a plow-beam, I, the said chain passing under a roller, L, journaled between brackets M, secured to the frame, its upper end being secured to a roller, N, journaled in the frame of the machine, and provided with a crank and a ratchet and pawl, (see Fig. 7,) by means of which the chain may be wound and held taut upon the roller. The object of these devices just referred to is to hold the plow against the resistance it meets with in its forward advance through the soil, and the roller N, with its crank, serves the purpose of taking up the slack of the chain, as well as that of properly adjusting the plow longitudinally, the pawl and ratchet acting to hold the said roller against the strain of the chain.

The letter P indicates a vertical standard, pivoted to the plow-beam at its lower end and at its upper to a lever, B, to which is pivoted a vertical rod, S, which is bifurcated at its lower end, so as to straddle the plow-beam, and carries a wheel, T, mounted on a suitable axle, j ournaled in bearings at the lower ends of the bifurcated parts, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The lower ends of the said rod are connected to the front of the plowbeam by means of the links or rods U, asindicated. To the rear end of the plow-beam is secured a vertical rod, V, which is bent at its upper end, and is provided with apertures WV, by means of which the lever B may be adjusted and fastened to it by means of a suitable pin. It will be observed that by adjusting the lever R up and down the wheel T is made to press upon the ground and sustain the forward end of the plow-beam. The rear end of said beam has also attached to it one end of a chain, Z,which passes over a pulley, Y, and is attached at its opposite end to a roller, A, j ournaled in suitable bearings in the f 'ame, and provided wit-h a lever, ratchet-wheel, and pawl, by means of which the chain may be drawn taut to adjust the beam up or down and regulate the inclinaof the plow proper to the soil. "To the said chain is attached one end of a chain, A,whieh is secured near the center of the plow-beam. The plow beam carries a standard, B, the lower end of which is provided with a shell plow or shovel, as indicated. Between the upright sides of said plow or shovel is journaled a roller, 0, over which passes the lower portion of an elevator-belt, D, the upper portion of which passes over a sprocket-roller, E, j ournaled in bearings in the adjustable plates E at the upper end of the elevator-frame. The lower end of this f 'ame is pivoted to the journal of the lower roller, so as to swing freely thereon. The elevator frame is provided with a series of transverse rollers, F, and below them, between the upper and lower parts of the belt, is provided with, an angular shield, G, which is secured to the frame by means of the connections H. The adjustable plates before mentioned are slotted, as indicated by the letter B, and are secured by means of set-screws in such manner that they may be shifted to tighten the belt when required. In suitable brackets, L, attached to the rear part of the machine, are journaled the rollers M, over which pass an endless transverse belt, N, by means of which the soil carried up by the elevating-belt is discharged. The elevator-belt has secured to it a small sprocket-chain, 1?,which runs over the sprock ets R on the sprocket pulley before mentioned, whereby the elevator belt may run slack, and yet not slip on said pulley. At each edge of the belt are vertical disconnected sides S, to hold the dirt and keep it from falling off.

To the rear end of the elevator-frame is se cured a bail, T, which is connected to the short arm of a lever, U, fulcrumed to a standard, V, and having its longer arm setting adjacent to a standard, \V, provided with suitable apertures, by means of which the lever may be adjusted and held by a pin to support the rear end of the elevator at the desired height. The rear axle is provided with a bevelgear wheel, X, which intergears with a longitudinally-adj ustable bevel-pinion, Y, on the shaft A, which passes through a sleeve forming a part of abifurcated frame, Z, embracing the av] e, so as to permit the wheel and pinion to operate properly, irrespective of the position of the frame. The beveled-cog wheel X is feathered to the rear axle, B, and is capable of a longitudinal movement thereon, whereby it may be thrown into and out of gear, as maybe required. The shalt A is provided with a grooved pulley having an endless chain passing over a similar pulley, E, on one of the roller-shafts ofthe discharge-belt, and with a beveled wheel, B, intergearing with the beveled wheel (1 on the shaft D of the elevator-roller E, whereby motion is imparted to the elevator-belt. The bifurcated frame Z is capable of a longitudinal movement on the rear shaft or axle to permit the elevator-frame to be adjusted, so as to keep the belt at proper tension, the pinion Y being adjusted on its shaft in order to prevent a disconnection of it from the gear X. From the edges of the angular frame G depend the vertical shields F, which prevent the dirt or soil from interfering with the belt when the lower part of the elevator is working in a ditch.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a ditching-machi11c, the combination of the frame A, mounted upon the axles B of the wheels (3, the braced hanger l), levers F, and roller G, the chain H, passing around roller G, under roller L, and secured to the plowbeam- I and elevating-roller N, the standard V, pivoted to said beam and provided with apertures \V, the lever B, and rod 1, connecting it to the plow-beam, and the rod S, and wheel T, the whole arranged to operate substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the frame A and roll ers Y and A, the latter provided with a lever and pawl and ratchet, the chain Z, connecting with the said roller A, and the )1ow-bean1-l, and the chain H, rollers L, N, and G, the roller N being provided with a pawl and ratchet, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as specified.

5. In combination with the plow B, the elevator-frame pivoted at its lower end within the sides of the plow and at its upper end to the shaft of the roller of the sprocket-W1 reel I and the elevator belt traveling upon rollers F and provided with a sprocket-chain, P,which is engaged by the sprockets on the sprocket-wheel to give a positive movement to the belts, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the elevator-frame and bolt, the longitudinal shield having inclined sides and located between the upper and lower parts of the belt, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of ()ctober, 1882. l

E. H. LANCASTER.

\Vitnesscs:

(it-ts. I). DAVIS, \VM. 1). A'I'JGkZl'ND'lCR. 

